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Trip from Wrightsville Beach, NC to Masonboro, NC

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

17m

Distance

8.3 mi

13 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$1

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 16m ★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 19m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States of America

Wrightsville Beach, NC

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Masonboro, NC, NC

Masonboro, NC

Michael Ken

Trip Overview

Wrightsville Beach to Masonboro is 8.3 miles and takes about 17 minutes via Oleander Drive and Pine Grove Drive, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within North Carolina's Southeast region, offering a quick connection between two coastal areas. Expect a very local feel with frequent turns, making it more of a direct point-to-point drive than a scenic excursion. It's a straightforward hop, perfect for when you need to get from one spot to another without a significant time commitment.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Oleander Drive 2.9 mi 5m
Pine Grove Drive 1.8 mi 4m
Wrightsville Avenue 1.1 mi 2m
Causeway Drive 1.1 mi 2m
Masonboro Sound Road 0.9 mi 2m
South Wallace Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
Eastwood Road 0.1 mi <1m
Military Cutoff Road 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Oleander Drive — 2.9 mi, about 5m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Wrightsville Beach, NC and Masonboro, NC.

1

Start on US 76

1.1 mi · 2 min · Causeway Drive
2

Continue on US 74; US 76

0.2 mi · 30 sec · Wrightsville Avenue
3

Continue on US 74; US 76

0.1 mi · 22 sec · Eastwood Road
4

Turn left onto Wrightsville Avenue

0.9 mi · 2 min · Wrightsville Avenue
5

Turn left onto US 17; US 76

0.1 mi · 12 sec · Military Cutoff Road
6

Continue on US 17; US 76

2.9 mi · 5 min · Oleander Drive
Use the straight lane.
7

Turn left onto South Wallace Avenue

484 ft · 22 sec · South Wallace Avenue
8

Turn left onto South Wallace Avenue

0.1 mi · 32 sec · South Wallace Avenue
9

Turn left onto Pine Grove Drive

1.8 mi · 4 min · Pine Grove Drive
Use the straight lane.
10

Turn left onto Masonboro Sound Road

0.9 mi · 2 min · Masonboro Sound Road
11

Turn right

35 ft · 2 sec
12

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 7

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.5 and 8.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

3
1.5 mi into trip | ~3m in | Wrightsville Avenue

Turn left onto Wrightsville Avenue

Navigation decision point

3
2.3 mi into trip | ~5m in | US 17; US 76 / Military Cutoff Road

Turn left onto US 17; US 76 / Military Cutoff Road

Navigation decision point

4
5.4 mi into trip | ~10m in | South Wallace Avenue

Turn left onto South Wallace Avenue

Navigation decision point

6
5.6 mi into trip | ~11m in | Pine Grove Drive

Turn left onto Pine Grove Drive

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
4
8.3 mi into trip | ~17m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$1.30 one way

$2.60 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 3 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.34 $1.42 $2.84
premium $4.70 $1.54 $3.07
diesel $5.61 $1.83 $3.67

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$1

Estimated CO2 emission: 2.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 2.5 0 $0.87 $0.40
Efficient EV 2.1 0 $0.73 $0.33
EV Truck/SUV 3.3 0 $1.16 $0.53

Gas CO2

3 kg

EV CO2

1 kg (67% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Wrightsville Beach, NC

Morning in Wrightsville Beach on Sunday

Local time

10:58 AM

EDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Masonboro, NC

Morning in Masonboro on Sunday

Local time

10:58 AM

EDT

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

2 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

17m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This drive is characterized by its turn-heavy local nature, with zero highway share. You'll navigate primarily via Oleander Drive, Pine Grove Drive, and Wrightsville Avenue. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 2.9 miles on Oleander Drive. Be prepared for a series of turns and adjustments as you make your way through residential and commercial areas. It's not a route for cruising; rather, it's about efficient navigation through town.

Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2.9 mi on Oleander Drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in near Wrightsville Avenue.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 17m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles (Wrightsville Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (US 17; US 76 / Military Cutoff Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.4 miles (South Wallace Avenue): Navigation decision point.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 17m. Total distance: 8.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

17m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 2.9 miles on Oleander Drive. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles (Wrightsville Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (US 17; US 76 / Military Cutoff Road): Navigation decision point; at 5.4 miles (South Wallace Avenue): Navigation decision point.

Yes — Moores Creek National Battlefield. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Masonboro, NC before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Explore more options from Wrightsville Beach, NC or browse trips ending in Masonboro, NC.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NC road trips.